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He Who Walks in Blood
Yorick, Wilco, Ramrod and Hunter X decide to follow up on a story they heard from a local barkeep. Apparently a powerful fey muse known as the Leanan Sidhe lives on Garden and may be able to help Wilco improve his brewing skills. With some knowledge gained from researching fey in the capital's library, they head to the surface to begin their search. Making their way through the thick jungle Hunter stops the party when he notices a banner tied to a tree. The banner bears the sigil of the Elven Imperium, and designates the off-limits borders of an elven military facility. They recall the warning from the hunters in the lodge of Obad-Hai to avoid these areas, as the elves are secretive and not quick to forgive transgressions. However, they decide it's worth a quick peek, and push farther in. Avoiding a tripwire trap near the border, they eventually reach a cliff where the jungle suddenly drops off. Below, a massive starfly vine curls through the valley. For the first time they see the flowers of the starfly vine, which appear to be about the same size and shape of the sails of elven spelljammers. It's widely known that elven spelljammers are organic, but the process of creating them is a more closely guarded secret. Noting the presence of elven scrying orbs, they decide not to push their luck any further and leave. However, a curious monkey goblin finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is taken out by a startled Ramrod. As the sound of the gunshot echoes through the valley, one of the scrying orbs approaches to check out the disturbance. The party decides to hide, but unfortunately Ramrod isn't able to hide his bulk well enough and is spotted. An unidentified magical effect flashes from the center of the orb but it's quickly taken out and the group runs full tilt away from the facility. Back in the wilderness, Hunter X decides they should head towards another of the immense starfly trunks that reach out from the surface, believing they may find the Leanan Sidhe in such a place. The journey could take close to a week, and they stop to rest. In the night, while the others sleep, Yorick takes a moment to stretch his legs and relieve himself... but when he returns, Ramrod is nowhere to be seen! There's an obvious trail where a heavy body has been dragged into the jungle, and the others give chase. They're eventually stopped by a goblin who urges them to turn away. He says that Ramrod will be offered back to the planet to adress the balance for his killings, and they have no beef with the rest of the group. Hunter convinces the goblin to take them to the site of the sacrifice so they can say their goodbyes and see it for themselves. In the treehouse village of the monkey goblins, Ramrod finds himself tied to a tree trunk on a wooden dias. Dozens of monkeys go about their business in the village as the rest of the party are led in. A wizened old goblin elder lectures Ramrod about the planet and the balance of life, and that Ramrod will return to the planet to bring new life. Meanwhile, Wilco tries to draw the attention of the goblins with his brew but has little luck, while Hunter and Yorick set into motion a plan to spring Ramrod before he's scheduled to be sacrificed at midday. They set explosives at the base of the treehouse trunks, and Yorick slips Ramrod a dagger to free himself from his bonds. The sacrifice ritual begins, and the village shamans begin to smack their staves against the wooden dias and chant. The eyes on the mantis heads of their staves glow with a red light and as the chanting reaches a climax a single name begins repeating over and over: "He Who Walks in Blood." A rift begins to form on the dias, and red claws emerge and pull at the tear, pulling it wide enough to reveal the watching eye of an impossibly large mantis. The being's outstreched claw reaches towards Ramrod, who seems to be deep in thought. Ramrod feels the blade Yorick gave him in his hands but comes to a decision and looks the creature straight in the eye. Ramrod repents and swears fealty to the achaekek, who matches Ramrods gaze. At this point Wilco decides there's nothing more he can do and dimension doors down to Hunter and Yorick and gives them the signal to blow the place and get the hell out. The mantis' claws grasp around the back of the tree truck, ripping it out of the ground and pulling it, along with Ramrod, into the rift before it blinks out of existance. With nowhere to go but fowards, the others continue their search for the Leanan Sidhe. They eventually reach the other starfly branch and find a small community living amongst the waterfall and caves at the base of the vine. They speak with the unusually assortment of people here and discover this is indeed the home of Sigrid, the Leanan Sidhe, and that they are her followers: all hoping to be the next to receive her blessing. Although friendly enough, the followers are strange and single minded in their pursuit of Sigrid and the party instead find companionship in an explorer named Lacroix taking temporary shelter in the village. They share stories and ask Lacroix if he knows anything about He Who Walks in Blood. He says that it's a very old legend, that he was one of the first beings created by the gods to serve as the perfect assassin. To do the gods dirty work for them and protect them from demigods and divine upstarts. He seems dubious, though, that they would have seen him in such a place when their hasn't been mention of him in divine writings for ages. They also ask Lacroix about Tammandraug, and although he's been on the surface and doesn't know much about him, Lacroix makes the observation that if Tammandraug takes his divine shenangians much farther it's just the kind of thing He Who Walks in Blood was meant to stop...